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Monthly Archives: June 2014

Brand storytelling, we’ve all heard of it, marketers are obsessed with it – but what’s the point? And what makes a good brand storytelling campaign?

Well, I’d say that the key ingredients to a compelling and effective brand story are essentially the same as those that constitute a great film. Don’t worry; I’ll talk you through it, but first:

What exactly is brand storytelling?

@brandingjess definition: the communication of a brand’s identity through the application of storytelling techniques.

Got it? Ok – so what makes a great film and how can we apply this to make a great brand story?

An original idea

No one wants to watch a boring film. And no one is interested in a boring brand story. It is important that the idea is a compelling one; it must incite the interest of consumers and will them to hang around for the ride. A great example is Nike’s ‘Make it Count’ short video story; appealing to the adventurer within us all. This video grips our attention and keeps a strong hold of it, constantly re-emphasising our ability to ‘Just Do It’.

A great storyline

And this starts with a great theme. What are your brands core values? How are you going to convey these to your audience and in doing so, which emotions do you aim to evoke? Dove’s brilliantly successful ‘Campaign for Real Beauty’ did a fantastic job of empowering women and reaffirming their beauty.

Timing

Think all those lovey-dovey films released around Valentine’s Day and horror films released around Halloween would get half as much attention if they were released at other times of the year? Probably not.

With great, believable content, and the right timing – you’re bound to be onto a winner. British Airways provide us with a great example in the form of their ‘Visit Mum’ campaign. Targeted specifically at the Indian market based in the US, this campaign aims to encourage this demographic to visit their homeland. Featuring a real mother talking about how much she misses her son who had immigrated to the US and launched to coincide with Mothers Day – British Airways struck gold with this one.

Have you created any storytelling campaigns? If so, how effective were they and what advice would you give to other marketers? Share below!